Population Biology and Diet of the Pompano Trachinotus carolinus (Perciformes: Carangidae) in Caraguatatuba Bay, Southeastern Brazil

This study evaluated the spatio-temporal distribution, population biology, and diet of the pompano Trachinotus carolinus in Caraguatatuba Bay. Samples were taken monthly from August 2003 through October 2004, by trawling in two previously selected areas (South and North). The North area is more exposed to wave activity and is influenced by a river, functioning as a small estuary. In contrast, the South area is relatively sheltered from wave energy and influenced to a lesser degree by smaller rivers. The fish were measured for length, and the sex and reproductive stage identified. The abundance of pompano was compared between areas and among months. The diet was identified and quantified. T. carolinus showed a very irregular temporal distribution during the study period, with 90.5% of the individuals occurring during the summer (December to March).

Short-Term Variation in the Abundance of Vibrio vulnificus and Vibrio parahaemolyticus in a Tidal Estuary

We examined the influence of tide stage and depth on the abundance of Vibrio vulnificus and Vibrio parahaemolyticus in the Chesapeake Bay. Samples were collected every 3 hours following predicted tides at a fixed location over 3 separate days and Vibrio concentrations analyzed by qPCR. Multi-way Analysis of Variance suggest that sampling day explains the vast majority of the variance in abundance for both species (p<0.0001) with limited influence of tide and depth. The physio-chemical parameters that define a sampling day were further explored with environmental gradient analysis.

Effects of Gender and Season on Potentially Toxic Metal Levels in Muscles of Adult Blue Swimmer Crabs (Portunus pelagicus) from the Northeastern Mediterranean Sea

The effects of gender and season on potentially toxic metal levels in two muscle types (lump crabmeat, LCM, and chela crabmeat, CCM) of adult blue swimmer crabs, Portunus pelagicus, caught in Mersin Bay, Northeastern Mediterranean Sea, were investigated. In each season, the muscle tissues from 40 individuals of each sex were taken out by hand. Inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrophotometer was used to determine metal levels in samples.

Proximate, Amino Acid, Fatty Acid and Mineral Analysis of Clam, Meretrix casta (Chemnitz) from Cuddalore and Parangipettai Coast, South East Coast of India

The eulamellibranch bivalves, M. casta Chemnitz is an edible mollusc belonging to phylum Mollusca, class Bivalvia and family Veneridae. It is abundantly found in marine and estuarine water bodies at high rates in the local markets of Tamil Nadu along Indian coast. The clam meat is white and sweet and tasty. Whereas most food sources for the humans are provided from marine flora and fauna, now a days clams has been functionally used as another good source of food nutrients to man compared to marine animals. The bivalves are also known to be good sources for the provision of protein, carbohydrate, lipid, amino acids, fatty acids, vitamins and minerals. This study was conducted to assess the nutritional qualities of M. casta of the Cuddalore and Parangipettai in two different coasts.